[Avodah] woman reading a ketuba

[Harry Maryles]

--- On Wed, 12/31/08, T613K at aol.com <T613K at aol.com> wrote:



From: "Eli Turkel" eliturkel at gmail.com

any problem with a woman reading a ketuba at a wedding?



>>>>>
 
Yes, there are several problems.  One is that it will make people laugh, stare, whisper and poke each other in the ribs, taking away from the solemnity of the wedding ceremony.  Another problem is that if the bride herself was never given a speaking role in her own wedding -- presumably out of concern for the modesty and bashfulness of a young maiden, having to speak up in front of all those people -- it would be unseemly for some /other/ woman to have a speaking part.  The only woman who is ever supposed to be the focus of attention at any public occasion is a kallah at her own wedding.  It would not be right for some other woman to steal the limelight away from the kallah.
=================
 
It does not have to be the case that a woman reading a Kesubah under the Chupah is stealing the show (or to put it the way you did - be the focus of attention). No more than a famous RY might. If modesty is an issue then a prominent Rav should turn down a Kibud for that reason too. 
 
If by modesty you mean Tznius - again, what is untzniusdik about a modestly dressed woman reading a marriage contract? It's just that were not used to it.
 
If R' Moshe were alive and at the wedding of your child - would you deny him a Kibud becuase it will focus attention away from the Kallah? And if you should answer thatr it is a Kavod to the Kallah to give RMF a Kibud, is it any less of a Kavod to the Kalla to give Nechama Leibovitz a Kibud becuase she is a woman? You would consider that unseemly?
 
I have been discussing this issue on my blog today. And so far there have been some excellent comments made as to why - or why not - this might be problematic. 
 
HM

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